for that which is before clean needs no more cleansing Fifthly They object That the Apostle says 1 Cor. 7.28 That though a Woman Marry she hath not sinned Therefore there are some actions at least free of all sin Ans If this objection proved any thing it would prove that Reprobates and Pagans also have perfect works Secondly I answer that Paul there means of the action of Marriage considered in respect of it's nature and kind and in order to its proper object as abstracted from all particular circumstances which may attend it which way the action hath no evil in it otherwise it could not be lawful to Marry whereas to forbid Marriage is a Doctrine of Devils 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3. Nevertheless albeit the action of Marriage so considered be not sinful yet seeing every particular action is necessarily exercised in several Circumstances wherewith it ought or ought not to be cloathed it may easily be defiled and become sinful by the Vesture of evil Circumstances instead whereof it should have been cloathed with good ones especially adding the impurity and uncleanness of the Agent which exerts it self in every particular action Sixthly The Quakers object and hereby they endeavour to prove the perfection both of the Saints and of their good works in this life The Saints say they have in this life perfect good works Therefore the Saints in this life must be perfect They prove the Consequence because perfect Effects crave perfect Causes They prove the Antecedent because they are acceptable to God and because if they be not perfect then they are sinful but sinful they cannot be seeing God commands them who commands not things sinful Ans Our good works are acceptable to God thorow Christ into whom all believers are by Faith Ingrafted and thorow whom alone both their persons and good works are accepted but none of aur good works here-away ore in themselves acceptable to God seeing they are still Imperfect Again God accepts them as they are good that is Sincerely done not as they are Imperfect and so evill and so from their acceptation their perfection follows not To the Second I Answer that God Commands our good works not as we perform them but as we ought to perform nor yet as they are defective as to the Degree he does not Command their gradual defect but he Commands them as they are good in respect of their Nature and kind So the objection perishes Seventhly they endeavour to prove that Christians have at least some perfect Actions in this Life and for that purpose they Inquire of us if the Apostles sinned in writing the Scripures Ans First this will not prove the perfection of any Action of any man now living except they can first prove him to have as large a measure of grace and of the Spirit 's Influence and Assistance as the Apostles had when they wrote the Scriptures which will be hard enough I think for them to get done Secondly the writing of the Scriptures wherein the Prophets and Apostles were but Pen-men for the Holy Ghost dictated all may consist with some Degree of imperfection as the Action is considered Morally and as lyable to the Law of God David and Asaph wrote Scriptures when they were not perfect Psal 51 10. and 73 22. or else beside the Instances given what will they say of an Hypocrites writing over in whole or in part the whole Scriptures and of every Action of Printing while our Printers print them over But Thirdly for full satisfaction I Answer that in that Action the Apostles did not at all sin upon the matter which yet is the most Formal sense of the objection which thus proposed directly imports the matter seeing the matter of the Action did perfectly agree with the Law of God as also the Action of an unrenewed man may doe Secondly there was much good in it compared with all the rest of the causes and so it was sincere and of another nature and kind then any Action of an unrenewed man is or can be seeing the principles thereof love to God and men The ends thereof the glory of God and good of Souls the form and manner wherein it was done in obedience to God were all certainly good Yet considering it as a Moral Action lyable to God's Law it was surely for the reasons given Defective and Imperfect as to the exact and compleat Degree of love to God and men and respect to the glory of God and good of Souls and Acting in it in pure obedience to Gods Command wherewith every perfect Action is to be qualified They will may be say that then the Scriptures would be in danger to Contract some Impurity from the Impurity of the Agent and Action of writing Ans That is false as appears from our Instances of an Hypocrite and Printer and of David and Asaph when they were not pure or perfect And if the Doctrine written did necessarily Contract any impuritie from the impurity of the writer by the same Reason and with more Reason seeing the Tongue is a more Immediat Instrument of the Heart then the Hand the Doctrine Preached should Contract some Impurity from the Impurity of the Preacher which is manifestly false to the Worlds eye Christ was the external object of the persecutive Actions of the Jews yet he Contracted no Impurity from thence But the Quakers urge saying though we cannot do all we ought to do yet that which we do we may do it perfectly Ans This reply must either be understood of diverse Actions so that the sense shall be though we cannot do all the good Actions we ought to do yet that Action or these Actions which we do we may do it or them perfectly which seeing by Perfectly they must mean the perfection of Degrees and otherwise it would be nothing to their purpose of a sinless perfection which they plead we must deny because of these and many other Scriptures Prov. 20 9. Eccles 7 20. Galat. 5 17. Rom. 7 21. or else that reply must be understood of one and the same Action And so the sense is though we cannot do an Action in that perfect degree of goodness that we ought yet in that degree of goodness wherein we do it we may do it perfectly where it being the perfection of degrees which is here Controverted and by the Adversaries pleaded for and otherwise we should have no debate with them here their reply involves a strong Contradiction viz. that any Action performed below that degree of goodness which it ought to have should notwithstanding be performed perfectly in respect of the perfection of Degrees seeing so it would both want and yet not want some Degree of goodness which it ought to have For these reasons I justly deny the latter part of their proposition Sixteenth QUERY Can any man be saved by his own works Self-righteousness will worship And are not all men in Self-righteousness that are not in the righteousness of Christ Jesus And
the Quakers Ergo not the Doctrine of the Quakers The Ten Commands are the Moral Laws Ergo not the Moral Law Is not that well Argued without Logick But what are not whole Sermons and Predictions of the Prophets and Christs whole Doctrine called by them and him the Word of the Lord and his Word as may be seen in almost all our preceeding Arguments Is not the whole Doctrine of the Scriptures called a Word of Prophecy 2 Pet. 1.19 20. Does not Paul call the whole Revealed Truths of God Sound Doctrine and the Doctrine of God 1 Tim. 1.10 and 6.1 Tit. 1.9 and 2.10 And must the Prophets and Apostles Christ and the Holy Ghost learn from the Quakers how their Doctrine should be named will they not allow the Scriptures their Essential Attribute which these gives them that they are the Word of God or albeit we very well know that there are many more words in the Scripture than one why will they not admit of that common Unity here which is not denied in other common Natures and a denomination conformable By these things the objection is both answered and overthrown Again they insinuate another Argument whereby they indeavour to wrest the Title of the Word of God from the Scriptures The Scriptures say they signifies Writings Therefore they mean to infer they are not the Word of God Ans It doth equally follow therefore they are not the Words of God as the Word of God as all may see and so the consequent of their present Argument contradicts the Antecedent of their former Objection and so we may see that the Quakers are but Jugling while they yield the Scriptures the Title of Gods Words whereof their present Argument again indeavours to rob them Secondly our Question is not what the word Scripture signifies but what the Doctrine written in the Scriptures is which the signification of that Word cannot Define But lastly for clear satisfaction I distinguish their Consequent thus viz. That because the Scriptures signifies Writings therefore as to the external Form and Mode which they have from the Writers Pen they are not the Word of God be it so therefore as to their enunciat Doctrine or Sentence they are not the Word of God it follows not For in the Scripture there are two things to be considered viz their Doctrine and Sentence which is the Word of God and their external Form or Mode which they have from the Pen of the Writer which gives the Word of God the Denomination of Written and therefore we call the Scriptures The Written Word Because we said that the Quakers by indeavouring to Wrest the Title of the Word of God from the Scriptures do strike at their Divine Authority therefore I shall here give a short Touch of the Notes and Arguments whereby the Scriptures are clearly Demonstrated to be from God and of Divine Inspiration such as are the Majesty of the Style of the Scriptures above all other Writings under great simplicity of words the Divine purity of the Doctrine savoring wholly of holiness and vertue The Divine Scope of the Doctrine which is to give all glory to God The Efficacy of the Doctrine in the hearts of men above all other Doctrines in the world The Infallible accomplishment of the Predictions therein contained as they were fore-told the wonderful consent of all the parts thereof being written by so many diverse Pen-men so far distant from one another both in time and place which was never to be seen in any other Book in the World especially of divers mens Writing The manifold Miracles whereby God hath born Witness thereunto which Satan could never so much as Counterfeit The irreconcilable hatred of Satan and the World against it more than against all other Books in the World The firm stability thereof and the special hand of God which appears in the preserving and transmitting thereof from Age to Age notwithstanding all the Malice of Satan and the Devices of him and his wicked Instruments against it The miserable end of the greatest Persecutors and enemies thereof The Testimony of the many Martyrs Sealing their Witness thereunto with their Blood and the Testimony of the whole Church thereunto which have a piece of weight in their own Order The Scriptures cannot be from evil men or Angels seeing they shew their villany denounce their Doom which Galls them and prescribe a Method of living quite contrary to their Inclination Nor can good Angels or Men be their Author for upon the one hand they durst not have so usurped upon God as to feign his Authority and Commission to so many Laws Ordinances Threatnings and Promises of their own meer Invention and upon the other hand if they had done it they could not have been good Angels or Men Therefore the Scriptures must be from God himself These things put together which I have but named are sufficient to convince that the Scriptures are from God and of Divine Authority and are enough irresistibly to stop the Mouths of all Contradicters Notwithstanding for the full assurance and through persuasion of Faith that the Scriptures are from God and of Divine Inspiration the Spirit is requisite by his effectual Working in with and by the same upon our hearts and minds to Seal up their Divine Authority unto us And yet this makes nothing in the least for the Quakers who Teach to follow a Spirit abstracted and separated from the Scriptures For beside that we shall shew at the following Query that the Spirit speaking in the Scriptures most straitly Ties us to the Scriptures as our Supreme Rule in all matters of Faith It is also evident that it is in with and by the Word of God written in the Scriptures that the Spirit manifests himself unto and in our hearts both in the enlightning of our Minds and renewing of our Wills and Affections as these Scriptures following Witness Psal 19.7.8 Joh. 4.41 Joh. 14.26 Joh. 15.3 Joh. 17.20 Act. 17.11.12 Rom. 15.4 Ephes 6.17 Heb. 4.12 Isai 59.21 These and a Thousand places more that I might instance do manifestly convince that the written Word of God is an Organ and Instrument in the Spirits hand whereby he Enlightens Renews and Sanctifies us more and more himself also as a Physical Cause does immediately influencing the Effect seeing all Effects must depend immediately upon God if they include any real being But say the Quakers whether or not is all that is written from Genesis to Revelation a Rule for your Faith and Manners Ans No doubt we are bound to believe all Scripture Enunciation from the beginning to the end seeing all of it was given by Inspiration of God and written for our Learning 2 Tim. 3.16 2 Pet. 1.21 Luke 24.25 Act. 24.14 1 Cor. 10.11 There is no more doubt we are bound to obey all the Commands of the Moral Law seeing that is of a perpetual binding force Mat. 5.18.19 with whatsoever is of common equity Philip. 4.8 9. or whatever injoyning any piece
viz. Joh. 1.9 and 8.12 is indeed a saving light but the light of Nature and Reason which is the only light that is universally in all men as was proved at the Survey of the fourth Query is not so SECT II. Concerning sufficient Grace in all Men. The Question here is Whether there be sufficient Grace in all Men Turks Pagans Heathens c. able to convert them and so save them The Quakers boldly affirm that there is and they do not mean of objective Grace or Grace offered only to all which some plead for right or wrong my present purpose is not concerned but of subjective Grace whereby the will is made able and put into Hapacity and freedom to convert and turn to God as George Keith affirms in his Quakerism no Popery page 66. But I utterly deny that there is Grace in all men sufficient for Conversion and though still the Affirmer ought to prove not the Denyer yet I prove my Negative Therefore first There is not sufficient light for Conversion in all men as is proved Therefore neither is there sufficient Grace in all men for Conversion The Consequence is easie seeing Grace without Light will be very blind Grace nor can the will be renewed and the understanding left unrenewed and in darkness for how then shall it behave seeing Nil volitum quin praecognitum ignoti nulla cupido Secondly Every sufficient Cause is able to produce the Effect or else it is no ways sufficient as is palpable But there is no Grace in Reprobates and Unrenewed Men able to convert them subdue the resistance of their will and bring it in subjection to God Therefore there is not a sufficient Grace to Conversion in them The Minor only needs proving and I prove it because the Natural Man cannot by any assistance discern the things of the Spirit and the carnal mind which is enmity against God cannot by any assistance be subject to his Law 1 Cor. 2.14 Rom. 8.7 Nay he must be a Spiritual man that does either seeing a Spiritual act can never proceed from a Natural or Carnal Principle more than a Horse can make a Syllogism or define an Object But Reprobates and Unrenewed men are intirely Natural Men and Carnal minded Therefore there is no Grace in Reprobates and Unrenewed Men whereby they can either discern the things of the Spirit or to be subject to his Law and so I am sure it cannot convert them The Minor of this also only needs proving which is easie for Reprobates and Unrenewed Men neither have Christ nor the Spirit of Christ 2 Cor. 13.5 1 Joh. 5.12 Rom. 8.9 10. Galat. 4.6 and so they cannot be Spiritual but intirely Natural and Carnal being without Christ and without his Spirit Thirdly No Man can come to Christ except the Father draw him Joh. 6.44 but he draws not all men whatsoever Therefore all men whatsoever have not sufficient Grace enabling them to go to Christ and so to convert and turn to God The Major is Christs plain assertion in the place cited The Minor is clear from Joh. 6.45 where Christ positively affirms That every man that hath heard and learned of the Father comes to him But all men whatsoever come not to Christ John 5.40 and 10.26 and 12.39 2 Thes 3.2 Therefore all men whatsoever do not hear and learn of the Father and so are not drawn by him and so the whole Argument is evidently proved Lastly Conversion essentially consists in the Habits Powers and Principles of Grace not in the actual operations of Grace otherwise Believers would lose and recover their Conversion and so be in a state of Nature and Grace as often as they are not and again are in the actual exercise and operations of Grace and so every Convert would be an Apostate fallen from Grace when he sleeps or is not actually exercising his Grace which is utterly absurd so to lose and recover continually his union with and relation to Christ and his right unto Eternal Life But whosoever hath sufficient Grace must certainly have the Powers Principles or Habits of Grace Therefore whosoever hath sufficient Grace is certainly a Convert and so if all men have sufficient grace then they are also all Converts which I do not yet believe The Major is proved clearly already I prove the Minor viz. that whosoever hath sufficient Grace must certainly have the Powers Principles or Habits of Grace because without these there cannot be sufficient Grace for there cannot be sufficient Grace where the actions and operations of Grace are impossible as cannot be denied But where the Powers Principles or Habits of Grace are wanting there the actions and operations of Grace are impossible seeing every action and operation is impossible without the Principles and Powers whereupon it necessarily depends as no man can be ignorant of Therefore without the Powers Principles or Habits of Grace there can be no sufficient Grace They will may be say that habits are not simply necessary for producing of Acts but only for the more easie and ready producing of them Unto this I reply that though that be true in respect of natural and acquired habits as even their acquiring shews that same Acts proceeded the habit viz. these by which it was first acquired yet it is most false in regard of supernatural and infused habits as both their nature and their purchase no ways but by infusion may shew that they necessarily preceed all Acts yea and otherwise a Man might live graciously without grace and grace would be simply needless which a sworn Atheist will not dare to say But they object for universal sufficient grace that the Gentiles do the things contained in the Law Rom. 2 14 therefore they had sufficient grace Ans They did these things by Nature sayes the Text not by grace Secondly a Man may do things Naturaly good and contained in the Law and yet be void of grace seeing he may do them but yet not from gracious principles of Faith and Love nor for gracious ends both which as also the gracious manner are requisit to a gracious action Rom. 14 23. 1 Cor. 10 31. Secondly they object that the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all Men Tit. 2 11. Ans By the grace of god the Apostle there means the gracious Doctrine of the Gospel whereunto teaching which is ascribed to it in the following verse is most proper and by all Men is meant Men of all ranks Stations Qualities c. As the word all is often taken for the Gospel was not then come to every Mans ears in the whole world This objection George Keith makes in his Quakerism no Popery pag. 66. Thirdly they object that the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every Man to profit withal 1 Cor. 12 7. Ans The Apostle speaks only of the members of Christs body here by the Context not of all Men whatsoever again laying aside the Context the meaning is easie viz. that to
exempting But the Quakers object that all worshipping of Creatures is Idolatry but all external Reverencing of Creatures with bowing c. is a Worshipping of them Ergo c. Ans But why shall external Civil Reverence be Idolatry and not the internal also which the Quakers have often said to me they own and practise Is it only the Body that is capable of Idolatry Or is not the Soul as much capable of it Why then do they condemn or allow the one more than the other half an eye may see the Inconsistency and confusion of these Principles Ans Secondly that all worshipping of Creatures with Religious worship is indeed Idolatry Exod. 20.5 Mat. 4.10 But worshipping of Creatures with a Civil worship is not so but on the contrary God commands and approves it Exod. 20.12 Levit. 19.32 Luk. 14.10 and will they say that Abraham committed Idolatry when he bowed to the Children of Heth Gen. 23.7 or that Jacob committed Idolatry when he bowed himself to the ground seven times to his Brother and that immediately after such a manifestation of God to him Gen. 33.3 or did Solomon commit Idolatry when he bowed himself to his Mother 1 King 2.19 Solomon was no Idolater at that time me-thinks Again the Quakers alledge that Christ condemns all Honouring of Creatures Joh. 5.44 where he says how can ye believe who receive honor one of another and seek not the honour that cometh from God only Ans Hereby they Impugn the very letter of the Fifth Commandment and declare that in their Opinion no manner of Civil Reverence or regard is to be given to any man Secondly if Christ here condemns all Civil honoring of men then he condemns that same Duty here which he himself elsewhere Mat. 19.19 Luk. 18.20 Eph. 6.2 1 Pet. 2.17 and his Apostles commands which is most false Therefore thirdly I answer that the honor that Christ there speaks of is meant of the approbation and applause of one another as to their Life and Actions which these Pharisaical Jews Inordinately gaped after and meerly relied upon without seeking therein to be approved of God This is confirmed to be the meaning from other Parallel Scriptures where Christ says that these Pharisaical Jews did all things for to be seen of men and that they might have glory of men Mat. 6.2 5. Mat. 23.5 that is to say as is plain in all their works they hunted after the meer applause and approbation of men And again the Text it self shews this to be the meaning in holding forth the receiving of the honor there meant as inconsistent with true Faith which cannot agree to the receiving of that Civil honor injoyned in the Fifth Commandment but it well agrees with that honor Taxed by Christ in the Pharisees both Negatively and Positively We shall stand here no longer Only it is too too notour what regard the Quakers have unto the Sixth and Ninth Commandments while by opprobrious Railings and lying Calumnies as witness all their Printed Pamphlets they bear most false witness against and endeavour to Murther the good Name and Reputation of all men who will not Dance unto their Tune and cry a Confederacy unto their Soul-damning Delusions These are the avowed Principles and open Practises of the Quakers by which Christian Reader I thought it not amiss to give thee a small hint of the Superlative measures of Piety whereunto the Quakers shrewdly pretend that thou mightest from the Claw as we say discern the Lion and mightest not be soon shaken in mind or suddenly carried away with the specious pretences of the Quakers who by their huge claims unto Godliness empty Casks and shallow Streams make most noise and their dropping in of their Principles especially among their younger Proselytes under a number of Enigmatical Riddles wrapt up in the chiefest Clouds of Darkness or a misrepresenting and transforming Vail whereby they are Metamorphosed into another likeness and the Snare is hid until the Prey be Catched and the Poison till the Morsel be swallowed down They have so Blind-folded the eyes and misled some simple and ignorant people that having once Espoused their Cause they are hard to be regained Some are of mind that it is in vain and to no purpose to offer to reason with or redargue the Quakers in regard of the unstayedness and mutability of their Principles proceeding from the variableness of their new pretended Revelations But I am more Charitable to the Quakers For I am sure though their Principles were as changeable as the Moon and unstayed as the Weather-cock they must hold one of the parts of the Contradiction and so they must either acknowledge and yield our Doctrine and Thesis and then we are agreed or else they must contradict our Doctrine and Thesis and then let them answer our irresistable Arguments For they cannot hold both parts of the Contradiction otherwise they shall contradict themselves and be bound to hold and maintain our doctrine as well as their own and so their Principles shall consist of an Hodg-podge of Self-murthering contradictions each of them cutting anothers throat Nor can they hold none of the parts of Contradiction but proclaim both of them to be together false otherwise they shall proclaim all their own Principles and Positions to be false as well as ours like the Witches destroying a Friend for a Foes sake for each of their Principles and Positions is one of the parts of a Contradiction and sometimes both viz. when they assert formal Repugnances and I can easily give a contradictory Proposition to every one of them or to any Proposition imaginable yea if none of the parts of the Contradiction were true then there would be no true saying in the world seeing every true saying is one of the parts of a Contradiction But here I must cut off and crave thy Pardon Courteous Reader for presuming so far upon thy good humour with so Large a Preface albeit I hope I have lost no time to thee or my self either with Idle Self-Apologies or otherwise vain and needless Complements but have been Travelling in matters both pertinent to the purpose in hand and in themselves Important That thou mayest be throughly Established in the Truth of Jesus and mayest hold fast the mystery of Faith in a pure Conscience being fruitful in every good work receiving in end the Crown of Life is the earnest Prayer of the Author who is Thy unworthy Servant in all Christian Duty John Alexander THE QUAKERS QUERIES THe Quakers Queries here follow to be represented to one view in the same Order as they were directed and sent unto me from a Convent of that Profession though but Signed with one of their hands where the Reader may see that in my Surveys I alter their Method as to order and place that I might bring together such Queries as are Homogeneous and of one or like Nature though without the least mutation of either their Matter or Expression or changing of the order of
day of general judgment pag. 99. Conditions of the two Covenants described and distinguished pag. 187. A Confession requisite in a Church and why pag. 123. Our Confession of Westminster materially Scripture-sentence p. 128. Consequential fundamental errors do not Physically and Entitatively unchurch pag. 200. Consequential Scripture is Infallible Scripture-rule p. 63. Consequential Scripture necessary to prove Jesus the true Messias pag. 64. Consequential Scripture necessary against Idolatry pag. 65. Consequential Scripture not founded upon Principles of meer humane reason pag. 66. Consequential Scripture no addition to the Scripture ibid. Conversion wherein it essentially consists pag. 157. The Disciples converted before the first Gospel Supper pag. 97. The Covenant the same in substance under both Testaments p. 85. Courtesie and Capping lawful among Christians pag. 205. D ONe day of seven a Sabbath-day Moral and perpetual pag. 104. Every day not a Christian Holy-day proved pag. 111. The Lords day mentioned Revel 1.10 not meant of any indeterminate day pag. 108. The Lords day meant determinately of the first day of the week ibid. Death described pag. 100. The Decrees of God are eternal pag. 141. Conditional Decrees in God depending upon conditions not by him determined vain and repugnant pag. 143. The Dictate in all men not the principal Rule pag. 33. The Dictate in all men not Essentially right ibid. The Dictate in all men subjected to the Scriptures pag. 35. A Dictate of the Spirit Immediate and Objective in no man p. 49. A Dictate within Immediate and Objective not needful pag. 32. Christ died not for all men but only for the Elect proved p. 138. A Directory of a Church distinguisht into two Notions pag. 120. A Directory warrantable in a Church pag. 122. Church Directories not Infallible pag. 123. A Directory formed rightly of a mixed nature depending partly upon Scripture general Precepts and partly flowing from Christian prudence pag. 128. E EFfective enlightning of the Spirit distinct from Objective p. 32. Effective enlightning of the Spirit sufficient without Immediate Objective ibid. Efficacy of grace not dependent on mans free will pag. 159. Efficacy of grace from whence pag. 161. The Quakers alternative Efficacy of grace confuted pag. 160. Christs enlightning of every man that comes into the world how to be understood pag. 154. F FAith the only condition of the new Covenant pag. 181. Faith not considered as a work in justification pag. 183. Fighting lawful for Christians against unjust Invaders pag. 204. Free will to Convert not in any unrenewed man pag. 159. Free will in unrenewed men to gracious actions inconsistent with the Efficacy of grace pag. 160. G EXtraordinary Gifts not an Infallible evidence of saving grace pag. 74. The Gospel not Properly but only Synecdochically called the power of God pag. 130. Grace without light proportionable can do nothing p. 156. Grammar described and explained pag. 3. Grammar lawful among Christians and necessary for some men pag. 4. How the Spirit Guides us into all truth pag. 42. H INward habits nourished and maintained by external means p. 41. Supernatural habits simply necessary for supernatural actions pag. 157. Holiness of Believers Children 1 Cor. 7.14 what it does import pag. 85. I SInning by meer Imitation confuted pag. 133. Infants have interest into the Kingdom of Heaven pag. 88. Immediate Inspiration of the Doctrine of grace ceased in the Church and not now upon any ground of promise to be lookt for p. 55. Interpretation of Scripture is needful in the Church pag. 52. Interpretation of Scripture is of Divine Institution and explained what it is pag. 55. Scriptures may be Interpreted by men whose gifts are fallible p. 59. Scriptures are the rule of Interpreting Scriptures pag. 58. The meaning of Scripture Interpreted by Scripture is Scripture-rule pag. 61. Interpreting of Scriptures is no adding to the Scriptures ibid. Justification how it is held by Protestants pag. 174. Justification how it is held by the Quakers pag. 175. Justification by inherent or inward Righteousness either as a cause or condition refuted pag. 181. K KIlling in just defence against the unjust Invaders of a Kingdom lawful vid. fighting lawful for Christians How the kingdom of God is said to be within us Luk. 17.2 p. 40. Knowledge in Divine things how it differs in renewed and unrenewed men pag. 37. L LAnguages how necessary to be learnt and why pag. 4. Christ as God was never under the Law pag. 212. How the Law is said to be written upon our hearts Jer. 30.33 pag. 38. Learning how necessary for a Minister pag. 5. Sufficient light in all men to Salvation confuted pag. 151. Light within all men not the principal Rule pag. 33. Christ how said to live in a true Christian explained pag. 213. Logick described and divided pag. 5. Logick a gift of God pag. 6. Logick lawful and necessary among Christians ibid. Lies reported in the Scripture not Scripture-sentence pag. 19. M MErit of good works pregnant with contradictions and confuted pag. 186. An External Ministery to continue to the worlds end in the Church pag. 60. N BY Nature all men are corrupt pag. 132. Natural men are not sufficiently enlightened to Conversion or Salvation pag. 151. Natural parts are necessary for a Minister pag. 202. O IT is not God that obeys God in us pag. 212. Ordination of our first Reformers in time of Popery was valid quoad substantiam pag. 199. Ordination in the time of Popery before the Reformation did not necessarily make these Ordained the Popes Emissaries p. 198. Ministerial Authority received by external Ordination pag. 202. P A Great difference betwixt Papists now and before the Council of Trent pag. 200. Perfection distinguished and described pag. 165. Perfection of degrees in this life confuted ibid. Perfection in a Moral sence not inferred upon the agent or action by Scripture writing pag. 171. Perfection not inferred from the acceptance of our good works ibid. Paul not perfect when be wrote to the Romans pag. 167. The persons in the God-head proved pag. 29. The persons in the God-head Eternal pag. 214. Philosophy described and explained pag. 8. Philosophy among Christians lawful pag. 9. Philosophy a gift of God ibid. Philosophy how rightly used and how not ibid. The Dictate within the principal rule of Faith according to the Quakers pag. 28. The principal rule the Scriptures not the Dictate within pag. 30. Psalms-metring requires not immediate Inspiration pag. 118. Psalms-singing of Divine Institution pag. 112. Psalms made upon sad lots may be Sung pag. 115. Psalms that are not our case may be Sung pag. 116. Psalms threatning Curses against notorious wicked men may be Sung pag. 117. What Psalms were sung in the Primitive Church pag. 118. Punishing of evil doers a duty incumbent to the Magistrates p. 205. Q QUakers Jesuitical and Popish in their Principles pag. 206. Quakers smell deeply of Supererogation pag. 208. Quakers great Slanderers pag. 206. A Quakers Minister described according to their own Principles pag.
are not all of their own works that be out of the light and the Faith that is the gift of God And are not all in their will-worships that are not in the worship that Jesus Christ the Heavenly man set up above Sixteen hundred years Since that is in the Spirit and the truth So must not every man come to the truth and to the Spirit in their own hearts if they come to the worship Jesus Christ Set up And are not your Catechisms Confession of Faith and Directories your own works and your own worship which ye have set down for People to fall down and do worship to and be Saved by And have ye not set up this since the Apostles days and since Christ set up his worship SVRVEY Because this Survey will divide it self into three Subjects and it would be too long together therefore I shall order it into three Sections The First shall Vindicat us from a Popish Salvation or justification by works or Inherent Righteousness and shall fix a Popish justification upon the Quakers The Second shall very breifly confuted their Popish justification The Third shall overturn an exception made by the Quakers against the charge of a Popish justification which we justly lay to their door SECT 1. Vindicating us from a Popish Salvation and Justification and fixing a Popish Justification upon the Quakers The great scope of this Querie is to make us seem guilty of holding a Popish Salvation by works albeit the whole Christian World knoweth what a lewd Calumny this is It having been the constant Doctrine of ours and all other Protestant Churches against the Papists that the good works of the Saints are not the causes or Meritorious procurers of their Salvation and it is founded upon Scripture-Testimony as clear as the Sun For eternal Life is none of our merit and due but is the Free gift of God Rom. 6 23. And by grace not by works we are Saved Ephēs 2 5 8 9. not by works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he Saveth us Tit. 3.5 And the best of our works are in this Life imperfect as is proven and so they cannot merit any good but Contrarily every defect and short coming of our Duty Merits Damnation and the Curse Deut. 27 26. Galat. 3 10. And if our good works could merit then we might trust to them which the Apostle dare not do Philip. 39 Nor is there any proportion betwixt our best works and eternal Life Rom. 8 18. And therefore they cannot merit it The whole Protestant Church hath no less always abhorred the Doctrine of justification by our own Inherent Righteousness and good works from the same clear Evidence of the Scripture for which see Rom. 3 Chap. from Vers 20. to the end and the whole Chap. following As also Galat. 2 16 21. and 3 10 11. and 5 4. Philip. 3 9. and seeing that is still imperfect in this life it can neither be the cause nor Condition of our justification before God in whose sight no man living shall be justified Psal 143 2. viz. by any Righteousness inherent or inward in himself Nevertheless albeit our inherent Righteousness and good works be not necessary to Salvation as Efficient or Meritorious causes thereof yet they are necessary indispensably thereunto by necessity of presence or as pure Antecedents without which no man is Saved excepting these that Die Immediately after Conversion and Infants from the Actual performance of good works For which see Mat. 3.10 and 5.20 and 25. from vers 34. to the end and Rom. 2.9 10. and 8.13 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Galat. 5.21 and 6.8 Heb. 12.14 And albeit our inherent or inward Righteousness be neither the Cause nor Condition of our justification before God yet it is still an inseparable Concomitant of justifying Faith For which see Rom. 8.1 9 10. 2 Cor. 5.17 Jam. 2.17.20 1 Joh. 3.3 But what if the Quakers be Guilty of a Popish justification Do not the Quakers hold justification by a Righteousness wrought within them and formally inward and inherent in themselves in this they joyn hands with the Papists in one of their most Fundamental Errors which does indeed contradict the very Design and Current of the Gospel which is to Teach us to seek Righteousness for justification in Christ and not in our selves yea and the very plain Design of Christs Death See Rom. 3.25 and 10.4 Galat. 2.16 21. and 5.4 But the Quakers endeavour to elude this our Charge pretending that they are far from holding justification by their own Inherent Righteousness with the Papists but by the alone Imputed Righteousness of Christ Thus they pretend in their Confession of Faith pag. 4.21 22. But the Quakers will not so Cheat and deceive the Christian world for first in that 21. pag. Cited where they purposely handle this Question and pretend as is now said they deny us to be justified by a Righteousness received of us by Faith calling that but an Act of the Creaturely skill and an Imputation which is an Act of mans Spirit and forging and a Fiction and Imagination in the Creaturely will and power Hence then they deny us to be justified by the Righteousness received of us by Faith and so consequently by the Imputed Righteousness of Christ seeing the Righteousness of his Obedience and Sufferings Imputed to us in Justification is not a diverse Righteousness from the Righteousness of Faith but is one and the same as is clear from Rom. 3.21 22 24 25. and 4.6 11 13 22 23 24. and 9.30 and 10.4 10. Galat. 2.16 and 3.8 and 5.5 Secondly this justification held by the Quakers must either be by the Righteousness received by Faith or else by the Righteousness of the Law and its works for there is no other third sort of Righteousness known to compet in this point but these are always stated as the only two Members of the Distinction for which see Rom. 3.28 and 4.2 3 4 5. and 9.30 31 32. and 10.3 5 6. Galat. 3.11 12. But the Quakers plainly deny the Justification held by them to be by the former yea they Scoff and Mock at that more than ever Papist did as is evident from their preceeding Language Therefore they do inevitably hold Justification by the latter wherein they manifestly joyn hands with the Papists for all their pretexts to cover it Again in the fore-Cited 22. page of their Confession they have these words and because say they we are against the latter viz. Justification by a Righteousness received by Faith whereof they were last speaking we are Clamoured upon as if we denied the Imputation of Christs Righteousness when it is only to these that are not made Righteous by it to walk as he also walked Here they hold Justification by a Righteousness Making their walk Righteous which is the plain inherent Righteousness of our Life and Conversation But the Quâkers in that last Cited pag. of their Confession go on and add that it